Modeling and power management of a LEO small satellite electrical power system

The main task of the electrical power system (EPS) of a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite consists of providing the required power to the payloads by regulating, controlling and distributing the power generated by the solar array and the battery. The choice of an efficient EPS configuration and the design of an effective power management strategy are crucial elements for the success of the mission and the satellite lifetime. In this paper a dynamic model for a peak power tracker EPS architecture with an unregulated bus for small satellites is proposed. The model is used to verify the solar array and the battery sizing under different operating conditions. A power management strategy based on a finite-state supervisor is proposed and its effectiveness is verified through the EPS model by considering different irradiance and temperature profiles.